Page 37 of Cowboy and the Convict

He was wrong. Real wrong.

“But…” Janie’s lips parted and he traced the softness of them with the pad of his thumb.

“But, what?”

Her lids drooped as one hand came to rest against the center of his chest. “I don’t remember.”

“Good.” He caught the point of her chin with his thumb and finger, opening her mouth a little more as he leaned in, sealing his lips over hers.

The air rushed from her lungs, the warmth of her breath heating his skin as she sagged into him. It was all the encouragement he needed, and in the next second he lifted her up onto the clutter-free counter, her legs around his waist as he claimed her mouth for himself.

Janie whimpered, her hands fisting in his shirt as he gripped her thighs to pull her closer, rocking the hard length of his cock against the seam of her leggings. He knew she looked great in them, but never would have guessed just how fucking great those pants were. They were so thin he could feel the heat coming off her body, and the next flex of his hips had him groaning into her mouth.

Right as the fucking doorbell rang.

15

Janie

SHE WAS OUT of her mind.

At least her libido was.

That was the only explanation for how she ended up wrapped around Devon, letting him tongue fuck her mouth while strongly considering letting him regular fuck other parts of her. Probably would have if the doorbell hadn’t interrupted, sending each of them jumping different directions as his daughters raced down the stairs.

Now she was standing in a kitchen full of teenage girls, trying to act casual and pretending to eat the pizza she picked, filled with panic.

And horniness.

She was attracted to Devon—there was no denying it. But who wouldn't be? Obviously not Isabella’s mother. Maybe that was why she ended up dry fucking him on the kitchen counter. Jealousy had her all riled up.

But if that was true, then she had to face the reasons she would be jealous, and having an existential crisis surrounded by a gaggle of giggling girls wasn’t the way tonight was going to play out.

So she shoved a bite of pizza into her face and started to chew, looking everywhere but at the man watching her with the most intense stare she’d ever witnessed. When people called a gaze devouring, this must be what they meant, because Devon looked like he wanted to consume her inch by inch.

And she might let him.

“Why is it so hot in here?” Janie grabbed a paper plate from the stack on the counter and started to fan herself, abandoning the slice of green pepper, onion, and mushroom so she could flap the front of her top around to get more air moving. “You girls need to start taking turns breathing. You’re going to turn this place into a freaking sauna.” She made a beeline for the back door, needing some fresh air and some space from whatever in the hell just happened in that kitchen, ignoring the odd looks everyone was shooting her way.

Ducking out onto the deck, she sucked in a deep breath, pulling the cold, crisp night air into her lungs. The chill felt good for about two seconds, but then it started to sink through her long-sleeved T-shirt and leggings. She shivered, weighing her options. She could go back inside and try not to combust over the heated looks Devon was casting her way. Or, she could brave the cold, hoping it would numb the part of her brain that kept wondering what was going to happen the next time she and Devon were alone.

And the part of her body trying to convince her to find out.

“Shit.” She paced across the deck and down the stairs, going straight for the flickering fire. Dropping down into one of the double-seat chairs, she let her head fall into her hands, and groaned.

Because she knew exactly what was going to happen the next time she was alone with Devon.

“You’re going to freeze your ass off out here.”

Her head snapped up as her whole body—but especially her nethers—clenched tight at the sound of Devon’s voice. She swallowed hard at the sight of him. After working for so long to ignore how devastatingly handsome he was, her brain decided it had a lot of catching up to do. And it sent her eyeballs dragging down his long frame, past the armful of fleece he was carrying, to linger on the part of him she now knew was just as long as everything else.

“What are you doing out here?”

“There’s nowhere else to go. The girls have taken the place over.” He settled into the seat next to her, dropping the load of blankets he carried into her lap. “Plus, you looked cold. And I don’t want you calling my mother to tell her I let you freeze.” His lips twitched as he went to work wrapping the first of the blankets around her back. “Tattletale.”

“You would probably never hear the end of it.” She sat still, watching as he continued tucking the blanket around her body. “It does seem like you get your love of lecturing from her.”

One corner of his mouth tipped up. “What you call lecturing, I call guidance.” His eyes came to hers. “I wasn’t ever trying to make you feel bad. I was just trying to look out for you.”

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